Cigarette package



Sept. 15, 1959 JQV. KEATING 2,904,169

CIGARETTEPACKAGE Filed June 14-, 1956 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 5.

INVENTOR. Jerome Keuhng AT TORNE Y Sept. 15, 1959 J. v. KEATING CIGARETTE PACKAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2- Filed June 14, 1956 INVENTOR Jerome V. Keo'nng ATTORNEY VI IIIIII United States PatentO CIGARETTE PACKAGE Jerome V. Keating, Jackson Heights, N.Y.

Application June 14, 1956, Serial No. 591,496

2 Claims. (Cl. 206-41) This invention relates to a cigarette pack-age.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide a cigarette package or bundle which has reinforcing members in the front and rear faces thereof to render the package rigid like a cigarette box but permit the progressive collapsing of the package as the cigarettes are gradually used.

It is another object of the invention to provide a cigarette package that is self-thinning or self-slenderizing as the cigarettes are used from the package.

It is still another object of the invention to unite the principles of the two primary forms of cigarette packaging namely, the bundle or pack and the box, to create in effect a collapsible cigarette case which is inexpensive and adapted for mass production.

It is a further object of the invention to provide simple means for stiffening a cigarette package that may take the form of stiffening layers or sheets located on the front and back of the package but leaving the sides of the package of foldable sheet material that permits the collapse of the package as the cigarettes are removed therefrom and that will maintain the remaining cigarettes in the package in parallel alignment with each other and kept from being crushed. 1

It is a still further object of the invention to provide in a cigarette package a stiffening card that is adapted to bear advertising matter or serve as a premium coupon.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a crush proof cigarette package, having the above objects in mind, which is of simple construction, easy to assemble and fill, inexpensive to manufacture, durable, compact, of pleasing appearance, and effective and efficient in use.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may he had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cigarette package constructed according to one form of the invention, with portions cut away to show the construction thereof,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the stiffening card members separated from the cigarette package,

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the package after tWo rows of cigarettes have been removed therefrom and the package partially collapsed upon a single row, and portions being broken away to show the interior construction thereof,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse elevational view of the partially collapsed package as viewed on line 4-4 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the partially collapsed package as viewed on line 55 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a cigarette package constructed according to another form of the invention with portions of the same broken away to show its interior construction,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 77 of Fig. 6,

2,904,169 Patented Sept. 15, 1959 Z the package shown in Fig. 6 with plastic stiffening layers adhered to the faces of the front and back panels.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a still further form of the invention embodying front and back panels of stiffening material and which are held in spaced relationship by a paper wrapper extending from side, top and bottom walls,

Fig. 10 is a collective view of the stiffening members and the wrapper used to form the package shown in Fig. 9, and

Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional view taken on line -11 11 of Fig. 9 and showing an inner stiffening member lying between the rows of cigarettes.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 5, 15 represents the usual inner wrapper that consists of a metal foil 1 6 that has. a paper liner and is wrapped about cigarettes 18. An outer paper wrapper 19 normally surrounds the inner wrapper and bears the usual advertising material. The lower end of the outer wrapper 19 is folded into the bottom of the package over the folded bottom end of the inner tinfoil wrapper 1-5 in the usual manner. According to the present invention, two stiffening cards 20 and 21 are disposed in the cigarette package so as to lie between the inner and outer wrappers on the front and back of the package. These cards stiffen the package and protect the cigarettes against being crushed. The

top of the inner mapper 15 is folded down .over the cigarettes in the usual manner. The outer paper wrapper is not adapted to be folded at the top of the package so that the tinfoil inner wrapper and the upper edges of the cards 20 and 21 will appear. The cards are preferably made of rigid cardboard or stiff plastic.

Over the entire assembly there is disposed the usual transparent cellophane wrapper 22 that is folded at the top and bottom over the ends of the inner and outerwrappers to finally close the package. This cellophane wrapper may include a tear strip disposed at the top of the package to release the top of the cellophane and permit access to the cigarettes through the tinfoil inner wrapper 15.

In order to facilitate the removal of the first cigarette from the open pack, the cigarette is supported ina flexible strip 24 with the upper ends extending above the cigarette so they may be grasped and pulled to remove the cigarette from the package.

As the cigarettes are continually removed to the extent of one or two rows the front and back of the package can be brought toward one another to thereby collapse ,the sides of the package in the manner as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 until ultimately there is but a single row of cigarettes remaining. The cards will permit the Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the outer wrapper of easy collapse of the package and the cigarettes as the package become thinner will be continually supported by the backing cards and prevented from being readily crushed. The package thereby serves as a cigarette box or case to give the same protection thereof but has the additional advantage that as the number of cigarettes in the package are reduced the package becomes smaller.

Referring now to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, 30 represents an inner tinfoil wrapper in which cigarettes 31 are disposed in the usual manner. A paper wrapper 32 is prepared as more clearly shown in Fig. 8 with plastic coatings 33 and 34 adhered to either the inner or outer faces of back and front panels 35 and 36. The panels may also be of cardboard bonded with an adhesive to either the inner or outer faces of the front and back panels 35 and 36. These panels 35 and 36 are separated by a side panel 37 and a side panel 3 8 that as a lip 39 by which the wrapper is joined by an adhesive to the back panel 35. The lower edge of the paper Wrapper will be folded under to overlie the folded bottom of the tinfoil inner wrapper 30. The usual cellophane covering '41 is placed over the paper wrapper and folded on the top and bottom ends to finally close the package. The usual revenue stamp 42 is placed over the top of the package and is broken when the top is,open in the manner as shown in Fig. 6. The usual tear strip,provided in the cellophane outer wrapper '4lican' beprovide'd to remove the upper end of the cellophane wrapper.

As the cigarettes are-removed from the package to provide two rows or a single row the side panels 37 and 38 can be collapsed to provide a thin package and th cigaretteswill be protected by the plastic or cardboard stiffening layers on the outer wrapper 32.

Referringnow to Figs. 9, and 11, there is shown a still further formof the invention in Which the front and back panels are in the form of rigid cards'44 and 45, The cigarettes are enclosed in a tinfoil lined package 46 in the same manner as above described and 'the'stiffening cards 44 and are placed in the front and rear of the inner Wrapper strip and a soft paper wrapper 47 is extended around the edges of the cards 44 and 45. This wrapper strip 47 has a bottom portion 48, side portions 49 andi50and fold down top end portions 51 and 52, that may overlap oneranother over the top ofthe package. "These portions have picture frame-like lips '53, 54, 55, 56 and57 that are joined to the front face of the card :44by an adhesive. These lips are mitered at the corners as indicated at 58,59, 60 and 61 and the lips 56 and 57 overlap one another with the overlapping portions 51 and 52. Similar lips are formed in'the soft pa- 7 per wrapper at therear edge thereof and are similarly adhered to the outer face of the rear stiffening card 45. A revenuestamp' 62 is secured over the overlapping portions 51 and 52 and their lips and on the stiffening cards 44 and '45; Over the entire package there is placed a transparent cellophane wrapper 63.

When it is desired to open this package the cellophane wrapper is torn or separated at the top of the package and the revenue stamp broken so that the top portions 51 or 52-maybe lifted. Thereafter, the folded inupper portion of the inner-tinfoil wrapper is unfolded in the same manner as inan ordinary package of cigarettes and the cigarettes can be removed from the same. In order to maintain a separation between the rows of cigarettes within the package, a pliable thin paper 64 may be folded upon itself andextended about the intermediate row of cigarettes and from one side of the package to the other side. 'As the cigarettes-are removed from the rows with in thepackage either-the intermediate row can be removed first or the outer row so that :the stiffening card backing and the pliable paper 64 can be collapsed to form a smaller package and at the same time the cigarettes will be protected as though-they were in a box or metal case. The paper wrapper; being flexible will flex to permit the front and ba'ck'pan'els44 and 45 to be brought closer to- =4 gether as the cigarettes are removed from the package.

It should now be apparent that there has been a selfthinning or self-slenderizing package for cigarettes wherein a package is provided with reinforcing members or layers that will collapse toward each other to thin the package as the cigarettes are used and to reinforce the package and prevent injury of the cigarettes.

While various changes may be 'made in the detailed construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by theappended claims.

What-is claimed is:

1. A self-thinning or collapsible cigarette package comprising an inner collapsible wrapper in which the cigarettes are fully enclosed and an outer collapsible Wrapper comprising rigid front and rear panels covering the full front and rear areas of the package and a continuous thin flexible wrapper strip forming the bottom, sides and top of the outer wrapper and extending in a ribbon-like manner about the bottom, side and top edges of the panels, said continuous Wrapper strip having front and rear lips extending throughout its length and mitered at the corners of the panels in a picture frame-like fashion and joined by the lips to the outer faces of the panels, the free ends of continuous wrapper strip being joined to each other to completely enclose the cigarettes Within the package, whereby the cigarettes will be protected from being bent whilepermitting the free collapse of the packagefrom front to rear as the rows of the cigarettes are removed.

2. A self-thinning or collapsible cigarette package comprising a collapsible wrapper consisting of spaced parallel rigid, front and rear panels forming substantially the full front and rear areas of the Wrapper, a continuous thin flexible ribbon-like strip extending about the bottom side and top edges of the panels, and in a plane parallel to the plane of the panel, said strip having its longitudinal edges adhesively secured to the outer peripheral edge portion of the panels, the free end portions of the flexible Wrapper strip. terminating over the top of the panels and serving to close the top of the package and collapsible means within the wrapper and between the rows of cigarettes therein for maintaining therows separated from one another, whereby the cigarettes Willbfi prevented from being bent, crushed or broken While permitting the free collapse of the package from front to rear as the cigarettes are removed.

-References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,122,513 Lewis Dec. 29, 1914 2,106,499 Francisco Jan. 25, 1938 2,202,281 Wilson May 28, 1940 2,400,716 Sattler May 21, 1946 

